As days become longer and temperatures rise outside, it’s a great time to enjoy the sunny skies with your family and friends. However, the summer season can also cause your electric costs to rise, which isn’t so enjoyable! Keep these four tips in mind to reduce an electric bill and keep your expenses at a manageable level.

Utilize a Programmable Thermostat

In most homes, air conditioning uses more electricity than any other system. You want your home to be at a comfortable temperature and humidity levels, but you don’t want to pay a fortune for it. Using a programmable thermostat is a great way to automatically adjust the temperature based on your lifestyle. If your home is empty during the day because everyone is at work, you can raise the temperature, then lower them at night when everyone is in.

Reduce an Electric Bill by Investing in a Ceiling Fan

Investing in a ceiling fan is a great way to reduce an electric bill while keeping you cool. In the spring and fall, ceiling fans can keep your home at a comfortable temperature without running the air conditioner. And during summer months, fans can be used alongside your air conditioner, which will also keep your electric bill down. This is because of the cooling effect that moving air has, which helps you keep the thermostat set slightly higher than you would without a ceiling fan. If you don’t think this doesn’t sound like much, a difference of just 5° F can result in a reduction of up to 30% in air conditioning energy use! If you’re in the Denver metropolitan area and interested in installing ceiling fans, Piper Electric can help.

Do Laundry Strategically

Kids playing outside and hiking trips mean there’s plenty of laundry to be done in the summer, thus more electricity to be used. However, you can save energy by having a laundry strategy. First, only run the washer when you have a full load, so you can decrease the total number of wash cycles. Next, consider using cold water for items that don’t need to be sanitized as well as cleaned. This will help reduce an electric bill.

Unplug Electronics Nightly

Many people think that a device isn’t using electricity if it is powered off. In reality, many appliances still use electricity as long as they are plugged into an outlet. If you see a light or display coming from a device that’s plugged in, it means it is using electricity and driving up your bill. Eliminate this waste by going around the house and unplugging each appliance not in use every night before bed.

Keep the Sunshine Out

The sun is one of the reasons why we love the summer so much since we get to enjoy the outdoors. However, sunshine can cause your electric bill to skyrocket when it gets into your house. Keep UV rays from heating up your home and driving up your electric costs by investing in energy-efficient curtains or blackout shades. You can also look into applying window film that keeps unwanted sun rays out of your home.

Piper Electric Offers Free Estimates

Many other companies add a “trip charge” or other fees just to give you a quote, and others use “flat-rate pricing” to hide costs and fees. Since 1983, Piper Electric has offered free estimates for electrical services. Our reputation speaks for itself: we always offer fair, upfront pricing, and our timely, quality work is why customers keep coming back. So, we’d be happy to help you upgrade your home’s energy usage!

Take a few minutes to walk around the inside of your home, and notice areas that might be bringing up your energy costs. Enlist the help of the rest of your family to reduce energy costs this summer, and use some of your savings to splurge on some fun summer activities or treats! And if you need professional help, contact us here.